East Putnam Man Dies In Collision

PUTNAM — An East Putnam man was killed on Route 44 Thursday afternoon after his pickup truck and a car collided head-on. Three other people were seriously injured and flown to hospitals.

David Bellisle, 54, of 835 Five Mile River Road was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The driver of the car, Scott M. DeFocy, 24, of 167 Harrisville Road, Woodstock, was flown by helicopter to Hartford Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.

Two passengers in DeFocy's car also were injured, police said. Michael S. Drouin, 24, and Bryan C. Innes, 23, both of Putnam, were flown to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester by helicopter, police said. Drouin was undergoing surgery and his condition was not available.

Innes' condition was not available.

The accident occurred about half a mile west of East Putnam Road at 3:07 p.m., police said. Bellisle was traveling east and DeFocy was westbound when DeFocy's car entered the eastbound lane to pass a pickup truck driven by Benjamin A. Mercer of Killingly, police said